Warning signal for grade intersections of railways and highways



P. UTNE.

WARNING SIGNAL FOR GRADE INTERSECTIONS 0F RAILWAYS AND HIGHWAYS- APPLICATION FILED mzcfls, I915.

Patented Sept. 30,

4 SHEETSSHEET I- Hill W. m, I

INVENTOR WITNESSES P. UTNE. WARNING SIGNAL FOR GRADE INTERSECTIONS OF'RAILWAYS AND HIGHWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 15. I915.

Paterited Sept, 30, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- wrmssszs INVENTOR fi 0 P. UTNE.

WARNING SIGNAL FOR GRADE INNERSECTIONS 0F RAILWAYS AND HIGHWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED 05c. l5. m5.

131mm, 7 Patentd Sept. 30, 1919.

4 SHEETS SHEET 3.

FBGB

WITNESSES INVENTOR P. UTNE. WARNING SIGNAL FOR GRADE INTERSECTlONS 0F RAILWAYS AND HIGHWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 15. 1915.

1 3 1 7,330 Patented Sept. 30, 191%.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- T0 TRAC K WITNESSES INVENTOR Unrrnn snares rn'rnnr @FFIEQE.

PER UTNE, 9F EDGEWOOD BOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE 'UIG'IQN SWITCH 8a SIGNALDOMPANY, F SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A GRIPOM- TION or PENNSYLVANIA.

ING-SIGNAL INTERSECTION S 0F RAILWAYS AND HIGHWAYS.

arness. I

- filled my declaration of intention for naturalization in the United States, residing at Edgewood borough, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Warning-Signals for Grade Intersections of Railways and Highways, of which the followin is a specification.

My invention re ates to warning signals for grade intersections of railways and highways; more particularly it relates to signals of this type comprising a pendulum which is adapted to swing when a train is approaching the highway.

ll will describe one form of signal embodying my invention and then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of one form of signal embodying my invention located adjacent a grade intersection of a railway and a highway. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line llllll of Fig. 3 showing the operating mechanism of the signal shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view-on line Ill-HI of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 4: is a View showing in detail part of the mechanism for controlling the angular position of shaft 90. Fig. 5 1s a view showing the osition of part a of shaft 90 when the pen ulum is at the left hand end of its stroke. Fig. 6 is-a view showing the position of part a of shaft 90 when the pendulum is at the right hand end of its stroke. Fig. 7 is a view showing latch 92 in engagement with part a of shaft 90. Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing one form and arrangement of circuits and circuit controller for the control of the signal.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the'several views.

In Fig. 1, I have shown a grade crossing of a railroad track T and a highway H. Adjacent the crossing and visible from the highway at a distance from either side of the railroad track is located a vertical pole- 1 carrying adjacent its upper end a railroad crossing sign S of the usual type. Immedi-' ately below the sign, pole 1 supports by eansef brackets-'2 a crossingsignalem- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 34]), 19199 Application filed December 15, 1915'. Serial No. fitfim.

bodying my invention. This signal comprises a casing 3 containing mechanism described hereinafter for oscillating a pendulum 4, carrying a disk 6 on both. sides of which is printed the word Stop or a similar warning legend. Mounted on the pole 1 below the crossing signal is a board 5 on which is printed another warning legend such as Look and listen.

When it is safe to cross the railroad track,

' 2'. 6., when there is no train approaching the crossing within a given distance from either side thereof, the signal mechanism holds pendulum 4. inclined to the right so that disk 6, occupies the space between two vertical shields 7 and 7 clamped to pole 1. Shields 7 and 7 are of such size and so situated as to completely hide disk 6 from view from either side of the track. Upon the approach of a train, the signal mechanism releases the'pendulum from its locked position betweenthe two obscuring shields and oscillates the pendulum until the train has passed the crossing. The swinging disk with its warning legend constitutes a very conspicuous and therefore efiective warning to traffic. For night indications ll providea red light 8 which is carried by the pendulum 4c and which is controlled as l shall explain hereinafter, so that it is illuminated when the pendulum swings, but is extinguished when the pendulum is locked in its inclined position. The swinging red light, like the swinging lamp of a fiagman, constitutes a vwell known and conspicuous danger signal.

if shall now describe the mechanism by which the pendulum is oscillated.

With reference to Figs. 2 and 3, 11 designates the back wall of the mechanism casing 3 which has been partly broken away. Fixed to the wall 11 by means of bolts 13 is a bracket 12. Suspended from this bracket are three electromagnets, 1t, 15 and 16, these magnets being attached to the bracket by means of their cores, which extend through holes in the horizontal portion of thebracket and are secured in place by nuts 17 screwed over the threaded ends of the cores. Each electromagnet comprises twp coils which in Fig. 2 are located one directly behind the other, so that only one coil of each magnet appears in this view. 3 shows both coils a and b of electromagnetlt. Magnets 14 and 15 are for the purpose'ofi pscillating v the pendulum by means of their armatures 37 and 38, as described hereinafter. Magnet 16 is for the purpose of latching the pendulum in its extreme right hand position as hereinafter described.

Reference characters 21 and 22 designate serted through corresponding holes in plates 1'5 21 and 22 respectively, so that, the faces of the plates bear against nuts (2. Finally nuts 6 are screwed over the outer ends oftubes 0' s6 that they bear against the outer faces of the plates, which are thus rigidly fixed between two nuts on each stay' bolt. This framework is mounted on the back wall 11 of the mechanism casing by means of bolts 29 the shanks of which extend through holes in wall 11 and tubes 0 of the stay. bolts above 25 described. Nuts 28 are screwed over the threaded ends of the bolts which'protrude beyond the outer ends of the tubes 0, so that when these nuts are tightened they clamp the tubes rigidly against the back wall.

30 Thus the framework is firmly fixed with respect'to the electromagnets. I

A horizontal shaft 31 is mountedadjacent the upper end of the framework in ballbearings 32 and 33. Each ballbearingis 5 secured in, a'receptacle. 34 having a tubular extension which passes through a hole in i one of the plates 21 and 22 and is spun over the edge of the hole as shown on the drawing, so 'that the receptacle is firmly fixed in o the plate. Fixed to the shaft 31 by .means of a pin 36 is a casting to which the arma tures 37 and 38 are secured by means of screws 39. As apparent from Fig. 2, armature 37 swings into engagement with the ,5 poles of ma et 14 when casting-35 swings In a ClOOkWlSQ direction and armature 38 I swings into engagement with the poles of magnet,15 when the casting swings in the I reverse direction. It follows that by-alternate energization of magnets 14 and 15, casting 35 can be made-to oscillate. I I

A hollow shaft 46 is mounted in ball bearings 47 and 48 which are mounted in plates 21 and 22 in the samemanner as are bearings 32 and 33. Two circular plates 51 and 52 are mounted on shaft 46 and rigidly secured parallel to each other by means of stay-bolts designated 54 to 60. Mounted on the bolt is a ball bearing 44' which isheld 60 ,in place at the middle of this :bolt by two sleeves 62 and 63. Depending from the casting" 35 are two strips of spring steel which are attached to the-casting by "a rivet43. Springs 41. and 42;a're bent at their lower ex 65 tremities to clamp between them the outer 7 race of ball bearing 44. From this construction it is apparent that when castlng 35 1s caused to oscillate on its shaft by means of the electromagnets, disks 51 and 52 are oscil 'lated through the medium of springs 41 and 42. C J

The pendulum arm 4 is suspended from shaft 46 by -means of a hook-shaped strip 71, preferably of spring steel, which is capable of absorbing shock when the pendu lum is suddenly stopped. The hook end of this strip 71 is clamped to the shaft 46 by means of a bolt-72 The pendulum arm 4 is attached to the lower end of strip 71 by means of clamps 73 and 74. The arm 4 is hollow so that wires 124 and 125 may be led therethrough to the lamp 8(Fig. 1). Bolts 55 and 56 are so located that their shanks engage respectivel the two sides of strip 71 so that the pend lum is caused to swing when the disks are oscillated.

The operation of the mechanism as thus a far described is as follows: Assume that the pendulum is held in its extreme right hand position so that the signal indicates safety. At the approach of a trainv the pendulum 1s automatically released (as I shall describe.

hereinafter) so that it swings to the left.- During this swing of the pendulum electromagnet 15 is energized through the medium of a circuit controller which I shall describe hereinafter. The magnetic attraction of armature 39 is transmitted to the pendulum by means of s ring 41 which presses on ball bearing 44. imilarly, when the pendulum swings in thereverse direction, magnet 14 is energized so thatespring 42 presses on bearing 44 and drives the pendulumfrom left to right. It may be noted here that at the end of each stroke the pendulum is gradually brought to rest by means of one of the springs 41 or 42. Thus, when thependulum is swinging from left to right casting 35 turns clockwise until it is suddenly arrested by the engagement of armature 37 with the poles of magnet .14.- The pendulum has at this time considerable momentum. and I therefore continues to swing to the right so that ballbearing 44 presses against spring 41 and deflects it outwardly until the pendulum is gradpally arrested. The spring pressure then causes a rapid acceleration of the I pendulum in the reverse direction. Spring '42Iacts similarly at the left end of the stroke of the pendulum.

For holding the pendulum an inclined" -resilient material is secured to the under side of casting 35 and extends downward between arms 81 and 82 so that it engages the side of latching magnetis deenergized. For, when arness a pin 8t connecting the two arms. A pair of links 85 and 86 are pivotallyconnected to arms 81 and 82 by the pin 84:. The opposite ends of these links are connected by a pin a 87 to cranks 88 and 89 (see Fig. 4:) which are pin-connected to a shaft 90 mounted in ball bearings in plates 21 and 22. A portion of shaft 90 is cut away to form a corner a at the middle of the shaft, as shown in Figs. 2 and a. A latch 92, the end of which is toothed. as shown for engaging this part of shaft 90, is mounted on bolt 57 between plates 51 and 52. The latch 92 is biased to normally rest against bolt 58 by a spring 93- which is attached to the latch by screws 94 and the free end of which spring bears against bolt 59.

*When the pendulum is swinginv and magnet 16 is not energized, the latching mechanism operates as follows. When the pendulum arrives at its middle position, swinging, say, from right to left, the various members of the apparatus are in the positions indicated in Fig. 2. As the pendulum continues its movement, finger '95 hearing against bolt 84 causes armature 83 to swing toward the poles of magnet 16. This causes links 85 and 8 6' to turn shaft 90 clockwise so that at the left hand end of the stroke of the pendulum, the portion a of shaft 90 is in the position shown in Fig. 5. During this latter movement of the pendulum the toothed end of latch 92' is swung to the dotted position marked p in Fig. 2, because disks 51" and 52 between which the latch is mounted are turned clockwise as the pendulum swings to the left. When the pendulum reverses its movement, armature 83 recedes from the poles of magnet v shaft when the pendulum again reverses and swings from right to left. In this mariner thependulum continues to swing indefinitely .as long as the requisite amount of energy is supplied by the electromagnets.

However, when magnet 16. is energized, the pendulum is latched in its extreme right position so that its disk 6 disappears between shields 7 and 7, and remains there'until the armature 83 is brought up to the poles of magnet 16asfthe' "pendulum swings to the left-, the magnet grips the armature and es., =ho1ds' t; there when the pendulumi'reverses 16 due to its weight. This causes links,

its stroke. In other words, when the latch 92 swings counter-clockwise, shaft 90 remains in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 5. Latch 92 does not swing clear of shaft 90, as before, because the corner a: of the shaft now protrudes into the path described by the teeth of the latch. Nevertheless, the pendulum is able to complete its stroke to the right because spring 93 yields slightly as each tooth of the latch is drawn over the projecting corner a. When the pendulum comes to astandstill and begins to reverse by force of gravity, one of the teeth of the latch engagesthe corner of shaft 90 as shown in Fig. 7, thereby preventing the return movement of the pendulum. Although .it may require considerable force to stop and hold the pendulum in the inclined position, still, only a small part of this force is transmitted to the armature of the holding magnet 16, because the force exerted by latch 92 on shaft 90 acts at so small a distance from the center of the shaft that it can create but a comparatively small torque tending to rotate the shaft.

When magnet 16 is deenergized, the pendulum is immediately released and is free to swing as described hereinbefore. For, both the weight of armature 83 and the torque on shaft 90 cause this armature to drop away from' the magnet poles, so that shaft 90 is immediately turned into the position shown in Fig. 6. The latch is now free to swing past shaft 90 and the pendulum oscillates in the manner hereinbefore described until it is againlatched by the re-.

energization of magnet 16.

@no important feature of my invention is that each time the pendulum swings to the left it raises the latching armature 83 into a position close to the poles of latching magnet 16, so that when the pendulum is to be latched the magnet 16 is required to exert only enough energy to hold its armature in the latching position; this magnet is not required to draw its armature into the latchinsulating material. The upper ends of these members serve as jaws .to clamp between them a contact finger 102, a bolt 103 being used to bind the members together.

The clutch is mounted on the same shaft 46 which supports the pendulum} The lower ends of members 100 and. 101 .are clamped together by means of abolt 104 bearing on a spring 105. Byadgustmentof the spring pressure, the frictlon between clutch K and shaft 46 can be regulated to the desired value. Contact finger 102 coiiperates with stationarycontact points 106 and 107. When is prevented by the contact point and there-- fore clutch K slips as the shaft continues tov turn until the pendulum arrives at the left end of its stroke. As soon as the pendulum reverses, finger 102- leaves point 107 and makes contact with point 106 so that the clutch slips in the reverse direction until the pendulum again reverses. This operation is repeated for every period of the pendulum. V

For controlling the length of time .during which magnets 14 and '15 are energized in each'period of the pendulum, I provide a contact segment 130 mounted on a ring of insulating material 131 fixed to shaft 46.

Stationary contact fingers 130 and .130 ccoperate with segment 130, which is of such length that one contact finger or the other breaks contact with segment 130 before the pendulum arrives at one extreme position or the other. 7

The circuits for the control of the electromagnets comprise contacts of a relay 109 which is controlled by the presence or ab-- sence of a train within a certain distance from the highway brossing, in'a manner which is well known to those lversed in the art and therefore not described here. Suffice it to state that, when-no train is 'appreaching the crossing within .a certain distance from either side thereof, relay 109 is energized sorthat its contact 110 is closed. Magnet-16 is controlled by this contact, the

--complete circuit being: from battery '-B,'

through-the wire 111, contact 110 of relay 109, wire 112, inagnet 16 and wire 113 to,

' scribed only one form of apparatus embody- 102-107, magnet 15, wires 12 1 and 122,

contact, 108, wire 123 to battery B. Magnet 15 drives the pendulum from right to left, but before the pendulum reaches the end of its stroke segment 130 breaks contact with I finger 130*? so that the circuit of magnet 15 y B, through wire 120, contact 130, wire 133,

contact 102106, magnet 14, wire 122, con- '80 tact 108 and wire 123 to battery B. This -magnet drives the pendulum from left to right until it is deenergized just before-the pendulum reaches its extreme right positlon.

Thus, the controller automatically energizes I first one and then the other magnet so that the pendulum continues to swing as long as relay'109 is deenergized. Y

'Red lamp 8 is illuminated while a tram is in the danger'zone, that is, while relay 109 is deenergized, by current in the following circuit: from battery B, through wire 111, contact 114 of relay 109, lamp 8, and wire 124 to battery B.

When the train passes the crossing, relay 109 is reenergized and breaks the circuit for magnets 14 and =15- at contact 108 and 7 opens the circuit for light 8 at contact 114. .7

The relay also closes the circuit for magnet- 16 at contact110 so that the pendulum is arrested in the safety position where it remains until the relay is again denergized by the approach of another train.

. Although I have herein shown and deing my invention, it is un rstood that various changes, and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from t e spirit and Scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what battery B. It follows that as long as con- I claimis:

. tact 1101s closed, magnet 16 is energized.

As pointed out hereinbefore, this causes the 50 arrest of the pendulum in the inclined position (indicated by dotted lines in 'Fig. 8,)

wherein its disk-is concealed between shields 7 and 7 The signal is therefore in its safety position.

109 is denergi zed and opens contact 110, but closes contacts 108 and 114. Contact 110 opens the circuitrof magnet 16, so that this magnet releases the pendulum and 60 allows it to swin freely-.-- Afterthe pendulum has swung t rough ,several degrees, it closes contacts and 102--1'O7 and causes the energization of magnet 15 through the Q following circuit: from batteryB', through 120, contact 130, wire-F133,. contact the pendulum for shifting 1. A. signal comprising a pendulum, means for causing said pendulum to swing to and fro to. give one indication, electromagnetic means comprising an electromagnet member and an armature member one of which is fixed and the other of which is movable and is biased away from the fixed When a train enters the danger zone, relay member, means operatively connected with 12 the movable member toward the'fixed member, the nil-0V" able member being then held to the fixed member if the electromagnet is energized,

and means controlled by the movable. mem- 12 6 ber when held in such shifted position for retaining the pendulum in an inclined posi-' tion to give another indication;

means for causing saidpendulin n to swing (ill the pendulum, which elements cooperate to retain the pendulum in an inclined position to give a difi'erent indication when the movable member is held in such shifted position. I

3. A signal comprising a pendulum, means causing said pendulum to swing to and fro -to give one indication, electromagnetic means comprising a fixed member and a member movable toward and away from said fixed member and biased away therefrom, means operatively connected with the pendulum for shifting said movable'member toward'the fixed member, said movable member being then held to the fixed member, if the electromagnetic means is energized, and means controlled by said movable member when held to the fixed member for retaining the pendulum in an inclined position to give a difi'erent indication.

i. A- highway crossing signal comprising a pendulum, means for causing said pendulum to swing to andfro continuously to give one indication, retaining means for holding said pendulum in an inclined position to give a difl'erentindication, an electromagnet and armature for controlling said retaining means, and means operatively connected with said pendulum for moving said armature toward the poles of said electromagnet each time that the pendulum swings toward the position opposite to that in which it is held bysaid retaining means.

5, A highway crossing signal comprising a pendulum, means for causing oscillation thereof, means for retaining the pendulum in an inclined position, means operatively connected with the pendulum ion moving said retaining means into" operative position, and electromagnetic means adapted when energized to hold said retaining means in operative position. a

6. A highway crossing signal comprising, a pendulum, means for causing oscillation thereof, means for retaining said pendulum in an inclined position at or near one end of its stroke, said retainingmeans being moved into retaining position during each swing of the pendulum toward the other end of its stroke, and electromagnetic means for holdg said retaining means in retaining position.

member operatively connected with the pen- 7. A highway crossing signal comprising a base, a pendulum suspended therefrom, a locking-mechanism comprising a member on said pendulum and another member on said base, means operatively connected with the, pendulum for moving said lockingmechanism into locking position, and an electromagnet adapted to retain said locking mechanism in locking position.

8. A highway crossing signal comprising a base, a pendulum suspended therefrom, and means for locking the pendulum in an inclined position, said means comprising an' electromagnet having a pivotally mounted armature, a memberon said pendulum and a member pivotally mounted on said base, means for oscillating said pivotally mounted locking'member and said armature when said pendulum oscillates, whereby saidpivotally mounted member is brought into locking vposition and said armature is moved into engagement with its magnet poles once every perlod of the pendulum.

9. A highway crossing signal comprising a base, a pendulum suspended therefrom, a

member operatively connected with the pendulum, a locking member'on the base adapted when in locking position to engage said first-mentioned member to hold the pendulum in an inclined position, means operatively connected with the pendulum for moving said locking member into locking position, and an electromagnet adapted when energized to hold said locking member in locking position.

10. A highway crossing signal comprising a pendulum, a locking device for retaining said pendulum in an inclined position,

an electromagnet, means for controlling said locking device by the magnetic circuit of said electromagnet, and means operatively connected with the pendulum for periodically closing the magnetic circuit of said electromagnet.

11. A highway crossing signal comprising a base, a pendulum suspended therefrom, a locking device for retaining said pendulum in an inclined position, an electromagnet having an armature pivotally mounted'on said base, means for controlling said locking device by vsaid armature, and means operatively connected with the pendulum for swinging said armature into engagement with the magnet poles during every period of the pendulum. 12c 12. A highway crossing signal compris- I ing a base, a pendulum suspended there from, means for oscillating the pendulum-, a

dulum, a locking member on the base adapt-- ed'when in locking position to engage said first-mentioned member to hold" the pendulum in. an inclined positlon, means- "controlled by the said oscillatin, means .for

- 11 member. 130,

periodically swinging said lo'c into locking position, and an electromagnet adapted when energized to hold saidlocking member in looking position.

13. A highway crossing signal comprising a base, .a pendulum sus ended therefrom, means for oscillating the pendulum, an electromagnet having an armature pivotally mountedon said base, a locking device controlled by said armature for retaining said pendulum in an inclined position, and means operatively connected wlth said pendulum for 'swinging said armature into engagement with the magnet poles once during every period of the pendulum.

.14. A signal comprising a pendulum,

means for causing said pendulum to swing with the pendulum, a second locking memment ofthe pendulum to the position whereber movable into and out of a position wherein it cooperates with the first member to retain the pendulum in an inclined positlon at or near one end of the stroke of the pendulum, means operatively connected with thependulum for moving said second member into operative'position while'the pendulum 1s swinging toward the opposite end of its stroke, one of said locking members be- 1ng resllient to permit the full return movein it is locked, and electromagnetic means for holdmg said second locking means in operat1ve POSItlOII.

"16. A highway crossing signal comprising a pendulum,'means for causing oscillation thereof, meansfor retainmg said pendulum in an inclined position, electromagnetic means for holding said retaining means 1n operative pos1t1on and comprlsmg a magnet member and an armature member, and means operatively connected with said'pend'ulum for moving said-retaining means into operative position and for. moving one member of said electromagnetic means toward the other.

17 A signal comprising" a pendulum, means for causing said pendulum to oscillate to give one indication, a member opera-- tively connected with said pendulum for movement into a latching position, electromagnetic means'for retaining said member in latching position,'and a second member operatively connected with the pendulum and arranged to coact with the first member to latch the pendulum in an inclined position to'gii e a different indication when the first member is retained in latching position. I

I 18. A signal comprising a pendulum, means for causing said pendulum to oscillate, a member operatively connected with said pendulum and moved into latching position each time the pendulum swings toward one end of its stroke, electromagnetic means for retaining said member in latching position,

and a second member operatively connectedwith the pendulum and arranged to coact with the first member to latch the pendulum at the opposite end of its stroke when the first member is retained in latching position. 1

'In testimony whereof I afiix my signa: ture in presence of two witnesses.

PER UTNE.

Witnesses: A. L. Venom, A. O. Nome. 

